San Antonio Zoo closing monkey habitat for renovation

By Vincent T. Davis, Staff Writer

Updated
4:27 pm CDT, Wednesday, May 16, 2018

The San Antonio Zoo's Monkey House building has featured more than 16 species for more than 60 years. The zoo plans to close the building for a makeover as part of an ongoing habitat renovation project.

The San Antonio Zoo's Monkey House building has featured more than 16 species for more than 60 years. The zoo plans to close the building for a makeover as part of an ongoing habitat renovation project.

Photo: Photo Courtesy Of The San Antonio Zoo.

Photo: Photo Courtesy Of The San Antonio Zoo.

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The San Antonio Zoo's Monkey House building has featured more than 16 species for more than 60 years. The zoo plans to close the building for a makeover as part of an ongoing habitat renovation project.

The San Antonio Zoo's Monkey House building has featured more than 16 species for more than 60 years. The zoo plans to close the building for a makeover as part of an ongoing habitat renovation project.

Photo: Photo Courtesy Of The San Antonio Zoo.

San Antonio Zoo closing monkey habitat for renovation

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The San Antonio Zoo plans to close its Monkey House for a makeover as part of its ongoing renovation plans to increase the size of the wildlife park.

There’s no set date for the closure; zoo officials are working to find an alternate home for the golden-bellied mangabey and black-crested mangabey at another zoo before closing the facility. Sixteen other primates will be housed in different parts of the San Antonio Zoo during the renovation and expansion of their habitat.

Zoo spokeswoman Jennifer Pue said that updating the more than 60-year-old building is part of the master plan that includes building on 12 acres of land alongside U.S. 281.

“The way they used to do things back then, the way that zoos used to operate, is not the direction we’re going now,” she said. “As we’re evolving, we’re constantly upgrading our habitats to make them more enriching and naturalistic for the animals in our care.”

Pue said there’s no word yet on the completion date or the cost of the renovation of the interior and exterior of the primates’ habitat.

The spokeswoman said the zoological facility has spent more than $5 million over the last few years to upgrade 100 habitats, including the Big Cat Valley, Africa Live! and the elephant dwelling.

“We want to stay ahead of every improvement possible at the zoo,” she said. “The zoo will continue to be a home of primates for generations to come.”